The present invention relates to a clamp apparatus for application to an object, for example a plate, a sheet, a fabric or a thin film, by gripping two opposite sides of the object.
Clamps according to the above may for example be used for holding tarpaulins, e.g. in places where a tarpaulin is not equipped with fastening eyelets. A holding means which is intended for this object is known from SE 465057 and comprises a flat, conically shaped sheet metal wedge which co-operates with two opposite, mutually converging side legs on a flat buckle. This prior art holding means forms a clamp hold with comparatively sharp edges against a small surface of the tarpaulin cloth which stands a risk of being damaged when the pull force is large. Also, this prior art fastening apparatus is not suitable for a thick cloth material like rubber cloth.
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a holding means which is less harmful to the cloth material and which also may be used for thick cloth materials.
For this object, the clamp apparatus according to the invention comprises a tubular element with an inner passage with a cross section which tapers in the direction of one end of the element and a clamp surface projecting from the opposite end of the element, and a wedge shaped element with a tapering section which is insertable into the passage via its wide opening, thereby forming a nip in co-operation with the clamp surface.
According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the passage has a substantially rectangular cross section. The clamp surface may form an extension of one of the sides of the rectangular passage.
The clamp surface is preferably grooved, and both the tubular element and the wedge shaped element may be manufactured from a plastic material.